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Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25)

Website:

diem25.org/en/
Type:

Foreign Non-Profit Organization
Formation:

2016
Executive Director:

Yanis Varoufakis
Headquarters:

Rue d’arlon, 53, Brussels, Brussels Region 1050, BE
Brussels, Belgium

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Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25) is a left-wing to radical-left pan-European movement 1 that supports what it calls a “radically progressive” Europe. 2

DiEM25 is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, 3 and is led by former Minister of Finance of Greece and self-styled “erratic Marxist” Yanis Varoufakis. 4 5 The group supports a “postcapitalist Europe” 6 that would adopt unconditional basic income and job guarantees for Europeans, 7 a lax refugee policy, 8 far-left environmentalist policy under a Green New Deal for Europe, 9 and the exclusion of Israel from international sporting events. 10

In November 2018, DiEM25 partnered with the left-wing Sanders Institute think tank, which was formed following U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’s (I-VT) 2016 presidential campaign, to launch the left-of-center Progressive International. 11

History and Leadership

Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25) was co-founded by former Finance Minister of Greece Yanis Varoufakis 12 and Srecko Horvat. 13 The group launched in February 2016 in Berlin, Germany, 14 and in a separate ceremony in March 2016 in Rome, Italy. 15

As of January 2024, Varoufakis is the organization’s executive director. Varoufakis is also a co-founder of the left-of-center center Progressive International. 16 According to left-leaning British newspaper the Guardian, Communist thinker Karl Marx is one of Varoufakis’s heroes. 17

Varoufakis is a self-styled “erratic Marxist,” 18 and has said that Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto “remains unsurpassed” as a work of political literature. According to the Guardian, he has also claimed that the Communist Manifesto foresaw global capitalism of the 21st century and that Marxism offers a way out of contemporary financial challenges. 19

In December 2023, Varoufakis released a video in which he referred to the 2023 Israel-Hamas war as a “genocide” in which “thousands of children are being slaughtered in the Holy Land with the full complicity” of the European Union. In this video he also claimed that Christianity is a veneer for what he calls European settler-imperial societies, that the conflict is a fully fledged genocide in Gaza, and that “human rights” is an excuse often use to bomb and shoot those who “actually need human rights.” 20

DiEM25’s advisory panel includes Julian Assange, the founder and editor-in-chief of Wikileaks, and Jane O’Meara Sanders, the founder of the left-wing Sanders Institute and wife of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT). Other members of the board have affiliations with Creative Commons, Transform! Europe, openDemocracy, the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at University of Texas at Austin, the Transnational Institute, Al Jazeera English, and various European legislatures and political parties. 21

Activities and Funding

Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25) is a “leftwing” pan-European movement 22 that supports what it calls a “radically progressive” Europe. 23 DiEM25 connects left-wing and radical-left parties, protest movements, and “rebel regions” across the continent. 24 The organization envisions a future Europe that values multiculturalism and is internationalist, pluralist, diverse, and transnational. 25

Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, 26 DiEM25 members include national political parties in Germany, Greece, and Italy called MERA25s. 27 28 DiEM25 consists of local groups that organize its events and actions across Europe in Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Montenegro, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey. 29 These organizations are run through national collectives and electoral wings in each country that identify opportunities to advance DiEM25’s electoral prospects and pan-European politics. 30

DiEM25 is concerned that the European Union is giving rise to nationalism, extremism, and racism the continent has not seen since the 1930s. 31 32 The group supports lax refugee policy in Europe and opposes the EU-Turkey Agreement, which allows the return of illegal migrants to Turkey. 33 DiEM25 claims it is necessary for Europeans to welcome migrants and refugees due to the claim that Europeans colonized and dominated the politics of the rest of the world 34 and says that refugees in Europe face “inhumane” treatment 35 from “shameful refugee policy” 36 and that a “patriarchy” in Europe suppresses women’s and LGBT rights. 37 38

In November 2018, DiEM25 partnered with the left-wing Sanders Institute think tank, which was formed following U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’s (I-VT) 2016 presidential campaign, to launch the left-of-center Progressive International. At Progressive International’s launch event, DiEM25’s Yanis Varoufakis participated in a roundtable with Sanders. He also participated in discussions on “challenging the new right populism” and “radical progress” in New York City. 39

 

Economic Policy

Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 supports creating a “postcapitalist Europe” 40 that would provide an unconditional basic income and job guarantees. 41 The group supports the creation of an “alternative economic system” and a transition to a post-capitalist society in Europe. 42 Its far-left economic vision also includes “de-growth” in sectors it believes harms humans and animals; growth in industries such including nontraditional forms of energy, public health, mental health, social care, education, and others; and an unconditional basic income and job guarantee. 43

DiEM25 supports what it calls an “European New Deal.” This far-left economic policy proposal would regulate banks, change the way the Euro works, support pan-European coordination on migration issues, support environmentalist investment, and promote universal basic dividends. 44

DiEM25 also supports the far-left environmentalist Green New Deal for Europe, 45 46 which believes in the critical race theory-influenced concept of a “just transition” from traditional sources of energy. 47 48 The organization also supports what it calls a longer-term vision of a “democratic, ecological, feminist, peaceful, non-exploitative” system that is “free of capitalist bosses,” unelected state bureaucrats, and any tendency to colonize. 49

Foreign Policy

Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 claims that Europe has historic responsibility for the war between Israel and Hamas that started following Hamas-backed terrorist attacks in Israel in October 2023. 50

 

In response to the conflict, DiEM25 has called for the suspension of Israel from international sporting competitions due to its response to Hamas-backed terrorist attacks in Israel. 51

Funding

Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 is funded by individual contributions. The organization does not receive public funds or government grants. 52

References

  1. Oltermann, Philip. “Yanis Varoufakis launches pan-European leftwing movement DiEM25.” The Guardian. February 10, 2016. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/10/yanis-varoufakis-launches-pan-european-leftwing-movement-diem25.
  2.  “Let’s make history in 2024: A message from Yanis Varoufakis.” DiEM25. December 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udoCWJJcchM.
  3.  “About Us.” DiEM25 LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/company/diem25/?originalSubdomain=be.
  4. Thomas-Noone, Brendan. “Yanis Varoufakis on Marx and European capitalism.” Lowry Interpreter. February 20, 2015. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/yanis-varoufakis-marx-european-capitalism.
  5. “Yanis Varoufakis.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanis-varoufakis-b8802030/?originalSubdomain=gr.
  6. “A Manifesto for Democratising Europe.” DiEM25. May 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DiEM25-Manifesto-2022_pages.pdf.
  7. “Economic Vision.” DiEM25. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/economic-vision/.
  8. “Refugees.” DiEM25. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/campaign/refugees/.
  9. “How We’ll Get It Done.” DiEM25. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://diem25.org/about-us/.
  10. “Petition” Suspend Israel from international sports.” DiEM25. January 8, 2024. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://diem25.org/petition-suspend-israel-from-international-sports/.
  11.  “DiEM25 teams up with The Sanders Institute to launch the Progressive International.” Democracy in Europe Movement 2025. November 30, 2018. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://diem25.org/diem25-teams-up-with-the-sanders-institute-to-launch-the-progressive-international/.
  12. “Yanis Varoufakis.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanis-varoufakis-b8802030/?originalSubdomain=gr.
  13. “Posts By: Srecko Horvat.” DiEM25. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://diem25.org/en/author/srecko/.
  14. Varoufakis, Yanis. “The EU no longer serves the people – democracy demands a new beginning.” The Guardian. February 5, 2016. Accessed January 21, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/05/eu-no-longer-serves-people-europe-diem25.
  15. “Democracy in Europe: DiEM25 in Rome with Yanis Varoufakis.” openDemocracy. January 21, 2024. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/can-europe-make-it/democracy-in-europe-diem25-in-rome-with-yanis-varoufakis/.
  16. “Yanis Varoufakis.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanis-varoufakis-b8802030/?originalSubdomain=gr.
  17. Cadwalladr, Caorle. “’Capitalism is dead. Now we have something much worse’: Yanis Varoufakis on extremism, Starmer, and the tyranny of big tech.” The Guardian. September 24, 2023. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/24/yanis-varoufakis-technofeudalism-capitalism-ukraine-interview.
  18. Thomas-Noone, Brendan. “Yanis Varoufakis on Marx and European capitalism.” Lowry Interpreter. February 20, 2015. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/yanis-varoufakis-marx-european-capitalism.
  19. Varoufakis, Yanis. “Yanis Varoufakis: Marx predicted our present crisis – and points the way out.” The Guardian. April 20, 2018. Accessed via Web Archive January 16, 2024. https://archive.ph/5YJlP.
  20. “Let’s make history in 2024: A message from Yanis Varoufakis.” DiEM25. December 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udoCWJJcchM.
  21. “Advisory Panel.” DiEM25. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/ap/.
  22.  Oltermann, Philip. “Yanis Varoufakis launches pan-European leftwing movement DiEM25.” The Guardian. February 10, 2016. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/10/yanis-varoufakis-launches-pan-european-leftwing-movement-diem25.
  23. “Let’s make history in 2024: A message from Yanis Varoufakis.” DiEM25. December 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udoCWJJcchM.
  24. Oltermann, Philip. “Yanis Varoufakis launches pan-European leftwing movement DiEM25.” The Guardian. February 10, 2016. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/10/yanis-varoufakis-launches-pan-european-leftwing-movement-diem25.
  25. “Cultural Vision.” DiEM25. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/cultural-vision/.
  26. [1] “About Us.” DiEM25 LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/company/diem25/?originalSubdomain=be.
  27.  [1] “Let’s make history in 2024: A message from Yanis Varoufakis.” DiEM25. December 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udoCWJJcchM.
  28. “What is MERA25?” DiEM25. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/mera25/.
  29. “Local Groups.” Democracy in Europe Movement 2025. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://i.diem25.org/en/groups/map?show=list.
  30. “About Us.” DiEM25. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/about-us/.
  31. “Donate.” Democracy in Europe Movement 2025. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://internal.diem25.org/en/donations/new.
  32. “Manifesto.” DiEM25. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/manifesto-long/#1455748557566-2a1fd808-a638.
  33. “Refugees.” DiEM25. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/campaign/refugees/.
  34. “A Manifesto for Democratising Europe.” DiEM25. May 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DiEM25-Manifesto-2022_pages.pdf.
  35. “A Manifesto for Democratising Europe.” DiEM25. May 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DiEM25-Manifesto-2022_pages.pdf.
  36. “Donate.” Democracy in Europe Movement 2025. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://internal.diem25.org/en/donations/new.
  37. “A Manifesto for Democratising Europe.” DiEM25. May 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DiEM25-Manifesto-2022_pages.pdf.
  38. “Donate.” Democracy in Europe Movement 2025. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://internal.diem25.org/en/donations/new.
  39. “DiEM25 teams up with The Sanders Institute to launch the Progressive International.” Democracy in Europe Movement 2025. November 30, 2018. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://diem25.org/diem25-teams-up-with-the-sanders-institute-to-launch-the-progressive-international/.
  40. “A Manifesto for Democratising Europe.” DiEM25. May 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DiEM25-Manifesto-2022_pages.pdf.
  41. “Economic Vision.” DiEM25. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/economic-vision/.
  42. “A Manifesto for Democratising Europe.” DiEM25. May 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DiEM25-Manifesto-2022_pages.pdf.
  43. “A Manifesto for Democratising Europe.” DiEM25. May 2023. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DiEM25-Manifesto-2022_pages.pdf.
  44. “European New Deal.” DiEM25. January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/campaign/european-new-deal/.
  45. “How We’ll Get It Done.” DiEM25. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://diem25.org/about-us/.
  46. “Our Vision.” DiEM25 Green New Deal for Europe. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://gnde.diem25.org/our-vision/.
  47. “Ecological Vision.” DiEM25. Accessed January 20, 2024. https://diem25.org/ecological-vision/.
  48. “The Green New Deal for Europe.” DiEM25. Accessed January 20,2024. https://diem25.org/campaign/green-new-deal/.
  49. “How We’ll Get It Done.” DiEM25. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://diem25.org/about-us/.
  50. Varoufakis, Yanis. “On Europe’s historic responsibility for the war crimes in the ancient land of Palestine – Al Jazeera.” Al Jazeera. November 18, 2023. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://www.yanisvaroufakis.eu/2023/11/18/on-europes-historic-responsibility-for-the-never-ending-conflict-and-war-crimes-in-the-ancient-land-of-palestine-al-jazeera-long-interview-with-marc-lamont-hill/.
  51. “Petition” Suspend Israel from international sports.” DiEM25. January 8, 2024. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://diem25.org/petition-suspend-israel-from-international-sports/.
  52. [1] “Donate.” Democracy in Europe Movement 2025. Accessed January 16, 2024. https://internal.diem25.org/en/donations/new.
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